Title: Hot Sauce Thickeners Pt 2
Categories: Info Sauce
Yield: 1 Servings

1

Info file

gum arabic

gum arabic A natural additive obtained from the bark of certain varieties of acacia tree. Gum arabic is colorless, tasteless and odorless and is used in commercial food processing to thicken, emulsify and stabilize foods such as candy, ice cream and sweet syrups. See also Additives Directory, page 652; GUM TRAGACANTH; GUAR GUM; XANTHAM GUM.

gum tragacanth

gum tragacanth [TRAG-uh-kanth] A substance obtained from an Asian shrub, Astragalus gummifer , and used in the same way as GUM ARABIC. See also Additives Directory, page 652; GUAR GUM; XANTHAN GUM.

okra

okra [OH-kruh] Ethiopian slaves brought the okra plant to America's South, where it's still popular today. The green okra pods have a ridged skin and a tapered, oblong shape. Although available fresh year-round in the South, the season for the rest of the country is from about May through October. When buying fresh okra look for firm, brightly colored pods under 4 inches long. Larger pods may be tough and fibrous. Avoid those that are dull in color, limp or blemished. Refrigerate okra in a plastic bag for up to 3 days. Canned and frozen okra is also available. These green pods can be prepared in a variety of ways including braising, baking and frying. When cooked, okra gives off a rather viscous substance that serves to thicken any liquid in which it is cooked. Throughout the South, it's a favorite ingredient in many dishes, the best known being GUMBO, where it's used both for thickening and for flavor. Fresh okra contains fair amounts of vitamins A and C.

potato flour

potato flour Also called potato starch , this gluten-free flour is made from cooked, dried and ground potatoes. It's used as a thickener and, because it produces a moist crumb, in some baked goods.

rice flour

rice flour Regular rice flour is a fine, powdery flour made from regular white rice. It's used mainly for baked goods. Glutinous or sweet rice flour (such as the Japanese MOCHI) is made from high-starch short-grain rice. It's widely used in Asian cooking to thicken sauces and for some desserts.

roux

roux [ROO] A mixture of flour and fat that, after being slowly cooked over low heat, is used to thicken mixtures such as soups and sauces. There are three classic roux white, blond and brown. The color and flavor is determined by the length of time the mixture is cooked. Both white roux and blond roux are made with butter. The former is cooked just until it begins to turn beige and the latter until pale golden. Both are used to thicken cream and white sauces and light soups. The fuller-flavored brown roux can be made with butter, drippings or pork or beef fat. It's cooked to a deep golden brown and used for rich, dark soups and sauces. CAJUN and CREOLE dishes use a lard-based roux, which is cooked (sometimes for almost an hour) until a beautiful mahogany brown. This dark nutty-flavored base is indispensable for specialties like GUMBO.

tapioca; tapioca flour

tapioca; tapioca flour [tap-ee-OH-kuh] A starchy substance extracted from the root of the CASSAVA plant. It's available in several forms including granules, flakes, pellets (called pearl tapioca ) and flour or starch. The most widely available forms are tapioca flour (also called cassava flour ) and pearl tapioca. The flour is used as a thickening agent for soups, fruit fillings, glazes, etc., much like CORNSTARCH. Pearl tapioca is used mainly to make pudding and comes in several sizes, regular or instant forms and in a variety of prepackaged flavors. Pearl tapioca is available in most supermarkets, whereas the other forms are more commonly found in health-food stores and Asian markets. If stored in a cool, dark place, all types of tapioca will keep indefinitely.

xanthan gum

xanthan gum [ZAN-thuhn] Produced from the fermentation of corn sugar, xanthan gum is used as a thickener, EMULSIFIER and STABILIZER in foods such as dairy products and salad dressings. See also Additives Directory, page 652;GUAR GUM; GUM ARABIC; GUM TRAGACANTH. From: Charles Demas Date: 09 Oct 97 Chile-Heads List Ä

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